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The Hammers responded by trying to persuade Payet to give them another six months - to help them to climb the Premier League - before returning ‘home’ in the summer.

But Payet insisted that he had no intention of doing so and that he simply had no further interest in playing for the club.

The club are convinced that the determination of resurgent Marseille to sign him after their summer recent takeover has turned his head, leaving him desperate for a lucrative return to his former club.

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Dimitri Payet only penned a new deal back in February (Image: West Ham United/Getty Images)

But now he wants out (Image: West Ham United FC via Getty)

Marseille’s new US owner Frank McCourt has promised to bankroll the club with huge financial backing over the next two transfer windows.

Payet went into training on Thursday claiming to have had a pain in his back and duly refused to train. The club are highly sceptical of the timing of his claim.

Bilic addressed his squad ahead of their training session yesterday, telling them what had happened. Some players are understood to be pleased, feeling that brooding Payet had been indulged for too long.

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The club have been left reeling by the overall conduct on the France international whose undoubted talents they rewarded with a record-breaking new contract worth £125,000-a-week within eight months of his arrival in the summer of 2015.

Behind the scenes Payet has been described as “spoilt” with the club feeling let down at the timing of his actions in their hour of need.

Midfielder Cheikou Kouyate and £20million summer signing Andre Ayew are both at the Africa Cup of Nations, meaning the Hammers are without another two of their key players.

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Boss Slaven Bilic has been left with little choice (Image: West Ham via Getty)

Payet will now be allowed to leave before the window shuts (Image: West Ham United via Getty Images)

Signed from Marseille for just £10.75million in the summer of last year, Payet went on to break into the France team for Euro2016, helping his country to reach the Final.

Bilic continually backed his star man, despite a rash of interviews in which Payet constantly linked himself with other clubs. Now the club are understood to have given up on him and are expected to wash their hands of him this month.